One of the leading business organizations has launched a series of diplomatic and commercial initiatives to re-energize Türkiye's relations with the European Union, including efforts to resolve longstanding visa issues and modernize the customs union agreement.
The initiatives come as the global order is being redesigned, fueled by the United States' policies that have revived trade wars, Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye (DEIK) Chair Nail Olpak told a meeting with reporters on Monday.
This has made it urgent to redesign Türkiye's commercial relationship with the EU, long the country's most significant trade partner, Olpak said.
He emphasized the need to move Türkiye-EU relations onto a more modern and sustainable footing.
"Beyond fixing technical issues like the visa backlog and road transport quotas, we must expand the scope of the customs union to include digitalization, green transition, public procurement, e-commerce, and services. This would bring mutual benefit to both sides," Olpak explained.
A host of disagreements over recent years have stalled the negotiations for updating the customs union. The deeper 1990s-era agreement would be expanded to services, farm goods and public procurement. The current deal only covers a limited range of industrial products.
Late last month, DEIK held a high-level meeting on economic relations with the bloc in Ankara, where the EU Ambassador to Türkiye, Thomas Hans Ossowski, and several EU member state ambassadors joined Turkish business representatives and regional council heads.
"EU Delegation President Ossowski also acknowledged at the meeting that the world is going through uncertain and challenging times. He emphasized that in this period, filled with quotas, restrictions, and uncertainties, economic partnerships are more important than ever," said Olpak.
"The modernization of the customs union is the backbone of Türkiye-EU economic relations, and our expectations on this matter remain strong."
At the meeting, both Türkiye and the EU demonstrated a strong and determined stance on this issue, according to the DEIK chair. "Ossowski emphasized the importance of pragmatic steps in updating the customs union and clearly stated that Türkiye must be at the table during this process," he added.
For decades, Türkiye and the bloc have enjoyed good trade ties and cooperation on migration. However, relations have been strained over multiple issues, including the prolonged process of expansion of the scope of the customs union agreement, maritime issues with Greece and Greek Cyprus, and EU policies on Syrian refugees.
On the other hand, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed the European Union to seek deeper security ties with Türkiye, a NATO ally and long a candidate to join the 27-nation bloc.
First implemented in 1995, the Türkiye-EU Customs Union has helped boost economic ties. But business groups have long argued that the agreement is outdated and ill-suited for today's trade environment.
As the EU rolls out new digital and climate-related standards, Turkish exporters face a growing compliance burden – yet without the full benefits of membership or equal say in rule-making.
In the era of rising global protectionism, Olpak said, the full realization of the potential of Türkiye-EU economic relations cannot be realized without a modernized trade deal.
"The discussions at the meeting, especially the views on strengthening economic and trade partnerships, were highly significant. At the same time, it is crucial for the EU to accelerate its bureaucratic processes," he said.
Türkiye's total trade volume with Europe – including both EU and non-EU countries – reached $327 billion in 2024, with $149 billion in exports and $178 billion in imports, according to DEIK.
A major flashpoint in Türkiye-EU relations remains the visa regime, which Turkish business leaders argue severely restricts commercial mobility.
The issue is now the most critical obstacle affecting both businesspeople and citizens, said Mehmet Ali Yalçındağ, DEIK's Europe Business Councils coordinator and chair of the Türkiye-Germany Business Council.
Yalçındağ said DEIK is planning a meeting with Germany's Foreign Ministry to urgently address the delays and denials Turkish applicants are facing.
"How can we grow trade with countries that don't grant us visas?" he asked. "Visa policy must change rapidly. It is the No. 1 signal Europe can send to Türkiye – and we must enter a new phase on visa issue."
Yalçındağ expressed hope that Germany's newly elected Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with his background in the private sector, could take a more pragmatic approach and help further develop bilateral relations.
